Weatherman forecasts rains before election day

PMD predicts heavy rainfall from July 23 to July 25

ISLAMABAD: The monsoon season this year in Pakistan has killed at least 46 people including 12 children in various incidents since June 20 till date, leaving 79 injured and 37 houses damaged.

According to the latest monsoon-2018 situation report compiled by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the highest number of casualties has been reported from Punjab where 28 people including four children lost their lives. As many as 58 people including eight children and eight women each have been injured in the province with 37 houses damaged.

The heavy showers in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have so far claimed seven lives including six children. Meanwhile, five people including two females have been killed in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) where four people including two children were killed. Two people were also killed in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B)

In K-P, the number of houses damaged is 17 followed by G-B where 12 houses were destroyed.  The monsoon season left four houses destroyed in AJK and two houses each in Punjab and Fata.



Meanwhile, the Met Office has predicted that the monsoon season is likely to get intense from July 23 to July 25, which may cause isolated heavy rainfall with one or two heavy showers over the upper catchments of River Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej along with Lahore, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi Divisions.

Scattered thunderstorm and moderate to heavy rainfalls are also expected over the upper catchments of River Jhelum along with Sahiwal and DG Khan Divisions. With regards to the on-going situation and the latest PMD weather predictions, the NDMA has advised all the concerned departments to remain alert around the clock.

Met Office Spokesperson Khalid Malik told The Express Tribune that monsoon currents are expected get weaker gradually from July 26 onwards. “However, weather is likely to remain very hot and humid in most parts of the country on July 25, the day general elections are due,” he added.

Malik said that scattered rain is expected on Wednesday in the central division of Punjab, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Peshawar, Malakand, Hazara, Banu, Kalat, G-B and AJK. He added that the sky will be clear by 11 am and weather will be very hot and humid.

He said that the isolated thunderstorm accompanied with rain is expected in Rawalpindi, Gujaranwala and Zhob Division.